Chapter 404

Jackson stares at me for a second and then nods even as he growls, pressing a last kiss to my cheek before standing up and striding, of all places, towards his dresser.

Frantic to make the noise stop - honestly, the way Luca's shouting my name and slamming himself against the door, I think he's actually trying to knock it down - I roll off the bed too and scurry for the door.

*Ariel, I swear to god, if you don't open this door and get your ass out here -*

I'm almost there, my eyes on the handle, but Jackson grabs my arm as I go.noveldrama

*Jacks!" I gasp, staring up at him, not knowing why he's stopped me.

"It's my room, Ariel," Jackson bites out, holding out the gigantic t-shirt and pair of pajama pants to me. I stare at them for a second before I realize what he means that I should, obviously, put them on before answering the door topless in my underwear.

I nod eagerly and take the clothes from my mate, pulling the shirt over my head and then stumbling as I try to get the pants on. The whole time, Luca continues to shout and to pound on the door. "Jackson!" I protest, glancing anxiously towards the sound. "Open it!"

"My room," Jackson snaps - obviously not mad at me, but at god damn Luca raising a racket at his door. "I'll answer it when I'm ready. I never had doors to close growing up, and now that I do, I'm damn well going to enforce my right to boundaries."

Something about that - about Jackson letting Luca wear himself out at the door because it's his and he and I can do as we please behind it - makes me burst into a grin. Hastily, I finish pulling the pants up over my hips and pull the drawstring tight. The pants are still ridiculously large - at least double the fabric that I'd usually use - but ...well. I'm covered now, aren't I?

Jackson nods once, brushing a hand over my hair, and then strides to the door, pulling it open in a single swing.

"What the fuck do you think you're fucking doing!?" Luca snarls, stepping immediately into Jackson's space and glaring up at him, completely livid. I take a step back, my eyes going wide, when I realize that his canines have elongated - that he's ready for a fight.

"You're the one in your girlfriend's parent's house," Jackson growls, stepping forward to glower down at Luca," embarrassing yourself by making a god damn racket."

The growl that builds in Luca's chest is a dangerous one, and I see his hands ball into fists. My eyes go wide because after last night? I definitely know what those fists can do, even when a guy is much bigger than he is, like Jackson.

*Luca!" I shout out, desperate and livid at once.

His head whips to me and he immediately abandons his issue with Jackson, stepping towards me, angry. "Ariel, god damn it -"

But before he can get any more words out his own eye go wide and he stumbles back a step, his hand flying to his mouth, covering his nose. "Oh...oh my god," he murmurs, falling back a few more steps like he's been shoved." Oh my god!"

"What is it?" I gasp, looking around frantically. I take a step towards him but he puts a hand out towards me, palm flat, begging me to stop.

My head snaps to the left, because suddenly Jesse is flying down the hall, skidding to a stop outside Jackson's room and almost tripping over his damn feet in his hurry. "What the fuck!?" he hisses, looking frantically into the room and then to his right as Rafe comes barreling down the hall after him, his eyebrows so high they're basically in his hairline.

"What's wrong!? Is everyone okay!?" my brother gasps.

"We're fine!" I shout, stepping towards them, reaching for them, desperate to pull them into the room and get the noise out of the hall.

"You're okay!?" Jesse gasps, staring at me, tugging Rafe into the room after him and then turning to glare at Luca, who is pale and breathing hard, his hand still over the lower half of his face. "Luca! What the fuck! You cannot go screaming like that in the palace unless someone is literally dying - Uncle Dom is going to kill you -"

"Oh my God!" Rafe says, taking a step towards me, wide-eyed.

Jackson takes a step too, looking frantically between me and Rafe as I look shocked at my brother, both of us trying to figure out what's wrong. "What?" I gasp, starting to get scared.

Honestly, why is everyone acting so insane!?

*Ariel..." Rafe breathes, stepping towards me and reaching for me. "Did he...did Jackson mark you!?"